NUCLEIC-ACID AMPLIFICATION METHODS

Nucleic acid amplification procedures can be used to overcome the limi tations of direct probe hybridization assays. A number of such systems have been described. Each method makes use of in vivo mechanisms of n ucleic acid replication and repair to effect the amplification of nucl eic acids in vitro. The strength of nucleic acid amplification technol ogy, the ability to make many copies of a sequence present initially a t a low concentration, is also its greatest potential weakness. Carryo ver contamination of amplification products represents a great risk fo r false positivity in these assay systems. Various methods have been d eveloped to reduce the contamination risk, allowing the adaptation of amplified probe assays far routine use in the clinical laboratory.